Iceberg & Whale

Status of Original Painting – Private Collection

Size: 9.5 x 16 inches

Medium: Watercolour on 300 lb d’Arches

Description:
On a whale watching tour in Newfoundland, you’re guaranteed to see lots of puffins, kittiwakes, gannets, and other seabirds; you’ll probably see humpbacks, narwhales and maybe dolphins and porpoises; and you just might (if the time of year is right) see icebergs. I was lucky enough to see birds, whales and icebergs all in one trip in July this year when I took a whale watching tour out of Bay Bulls. In the spring and early summer, the Iceberg Finder can be a useful tool for determining where to go to see one up close – although it wasn’t showing this berg on the day I went on this whale watching trip.

With no point of reference, perspective can be deceiving on the ocean, but this iceberg loomed over 3 stories tall out of the water (and of course, about 90% of it was hidden below the surface). As massive as it was, it swayed up and down and made ominous moaning noises. Going close can be dangerous, because icebergs are known to flip over unexpectedly or to suddenly split apart.

Icebergs are mostly white with turquoise accents on the sides facing the sun, but the view was much more colorful and interesting on the dark side of this one.